Transgender clients and disability insurance

Please note that each carrier’s response is slightly different, meaning that it’s up to the agent to find the appropriate carrier for his or her client. 

Carrier A: ”We would consider transgender clients the same as any other client coming in for coverage based on their particular medical history. With any client, if there is surgery planned, but not yet performed, we would in general postpone consideration until following the surgery, release from care and return to work full-time without restrictions. Post-surgery consideration would be based on any residual symptoms or problems as indicated in follow-up. Policies will be issued based on the gender the proposed insured has indicated on the application.” 

Carrier B: ”For underwriting purposes we underwrite based on the applicant’s gender at birth. During the underwriting process we want to make sure that they have stable employment, no associated psychiatric disorders, or drug and alcohol history. If untreated and all looks favorable, we may consider with just a gender re-assignment exclusion. However, if gender reassignment therapy is planned or contemplated, treated with or without hormone replacement therapy, we would postpone just as we would with any pending surgery. The surgery would need to be completed and the applicant would need to have returned to work on a full-time basis without residuals for consideration of coverage. 

“If therapy was partially completed with no plan to complete, treated with or without hormone replacement therapy, we would typically postpone coverage for the first 3 years and after 3 years may consider with a limited benefit period, extra premium and exclusion of gender re-assignment. If therapy procedures have been completed, without complications, treated with or without hormone replacement therapy, we would also postpone for the first 3 years, and after 3 years we may potentially consider with a limited benefit period, extra premium, and exclusion of gender re-assignment. We most likely would not offer FPO with these cases and there is a high potential for a mental disorder exclusion due to the psychological component that goes along with the decision for gender reassignment. Some jurisdictions have regulations and special laws, so each case would need to be reviewed with legal for input to determine the appropriate underwriting outcome.”